Where to start with valve amps

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bostod
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#1 Where to start with valve amps

Post by bostod »

Where would be a good place to start to get a flavour of what valve amplifiers have to offer. My diy skills are virtually non exhistant so i would be looking down the second hand route. is there some Ebay bargains that i should look out for. i want to start out at the cheaper end of the scale at around £250.
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#2

Post by bostod »

I Should add that my speakers will be the IPL m3tlm small transmission line speakers
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#3

Post by bostod »

I have the opportunity to get one of these second hand.
http://www.world-designs.co.uk/kt88.htm

tubes have just been replaced. he wants £450. would this be a good amp to get me started with valves. My musical tastes are rock orientated. i like the idea of the extra oomph the kt88's bring
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Greg
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#4

Post by Greg »

Yes, that's a very good place to start. The WD88 amp is an excellent performer happily used by several members here. The price is about right with the new valves if it is well constructed. Even if construction is poor, being a tag strip design it is easily corrected. It performs excellently playing rock music with plenty of punch and good bass. Mid range is good and there is good extension in the treble. It will work extremely well with IPL m3tlm speakers. Other benefits, in addition to the support you will get here should you need it is that it is a current model and Matthew Snell of World Designs will offer after sales service. Additionally you will find great help and advise on the WD forum.

http://www.world-designs.co.uk/forum/
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Toppsy
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#5

Post by Toppsy »

Those IPL speakers of yours are only 86dB efficient so you'll need something of the power of the KT88 amp to drive them. Forget SET amps your speakers are way too inefficient for the likes of single ended valve amps. The KT88 amp as Greg says would be a good start point.
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#6

Post by bostod »

It arrived today and was quite easy to set up. the previous owner gave me specific instructions on what order to put the valves in. powered it up for an hour or so then tried a couple of songs. i did notice quite a large change to the bass sound when compared to the tripath amp i was using. every other part of the sound is an improvement. works great with my IPL speakers. volume loud enough at the 9 o'clock mark. here is a little picture of it
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Paul Barker
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#7

Post by Paul Barker »

seems like a good place to start.
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#8

Post by Mike H »

Fab wallpaper! :D
 
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#9

Post by bostod »

listened to some more music. Acoustic stuff sounds amazing. the Achilles heel appears to be in more complex music which is bass driven. Marry you by Bruno Mars sounds awful. Nirvana also seem to have lost some of their "teenage spirit". hmm, Fallen in love with the acoustic sound though.
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#10

Post by ed »

The amp in the WD link does not appear to be the amp in the photo....

am I missing something?

from tripath straight to valves may present the speakers with a different output impedance, and if so may change the bass response/grip, which may take some getting used to...maybe
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#11

Post by bostod »

The amp in the WD link does not appear to be the amp in the photo...
the Amplifier i bought is an older version of the linked one. currently configured as a power amp hence just the one knob for power.
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pre65
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#12

Post by pre65 »

bostod wrote:
The amp in the WD link does not appear to be the amp in the photo...
the Amplifier i bought is an older version of the linked one. currently configured as a power amp hence just the one knob for power.
Quite a lot older. :wink:

In effect a different amp. Best get used to the way it sounds before making any changes. :)
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#13

Post by Greg »

Yes, it is an original World Audio Designs KaT88 (power amp). As Philip says, completely different to the current WD88VA. Lots can be done to it though, and schematic and other documentation is available. Just ask.
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#14

Post by bostod »

while browsing the web i found this amplifier from a previous owner. i will add the link.
http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.ph ... udio-KAT88
the new Kt88 tubes are the electro harmonix KT88EH and the recent service was done by John Caswell.

still enjoying the amp but when using with the squeezebox touch and separate Beresford dac, there is a loud hum when no signal(music) is present. the amp is absolutely silent when there is a signal. How do i get rid of this noise?
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